Reunion: Back in Action 2041
by Imaj Inaya
Summary: Action drama angst, the US is recreating Boombers, can the Knight Sabers stop them? LinnaPriss, NeneMackie, and oh so much more.... just R&R! You wont regret it!
1. Chapter 1

Reunion: Bubblegum Crisis 2041  
  
By Imaj  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Linna walked into the house. She was living with her parents again. She had returned home after being rescued from that island in the middle of nowhere. Nene had stayed in America, and Linna had heard from her only on occasion since then. Priss went back to Tokyo, and remained there while it was rebuilt. Linna hadn't communicated with her since she called, and Leon answered. He made it very clear that Priss had come back to him, and she should just stay out of Priss' life while she gets everything together. Sylia had completely lost contact, never responding to Linna's e-mails. It had been over a year since the Galatea incident. The world was basically Boomer free, and all was going well. Right?  
  
"Oh Linna! Your home, dinner is ready." Her mom announced as she passed by the kitchen.  
  
"Thanks mom. Um I'm sorry I've already eaten though." Linna said kindly.  
  
"You sure dear? Is everything okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Linna said it as if it wasn't even a possibility that something could be wrong.  
  
"Did you find a job yet Linna?" Her father hollered out from the dinning room.  
  
"No, Not yet." Linna yelled back, and then to her mom "I'm sorry I'm very tired mom, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"  
  
"Of course, goodnight dear"  
  
Linna continued into her room. She flopped down onto her bed, and stared at her ceiling. What am I doing? Why can't I get over it all? It was over a year ago.... She sat up, and put her head in her hands. Maybe I just need closure. She lowered her hands and opened the top drawer of her burro. She pulled out a picture of Priss from one of her gigs back in the day. Her vision blurred, and she hugged the piece of paper. A single tear streamed down her cheek.  
  
As quickly a she had lapsed into her sadness she snapped out of it. Wiping the tears away with one hand she used the other to put the picture back. She stood up and began paced the room to regain her composure which was so easily torn down by a photograph. She reassured herself.  
  
"If she had wanted me around she would have called. If she cared, she would have done something. It's over, it's all in the past, and there's nothing I could have possibly done."  
  
"Where the hell were you?" Priss greeted Leon as he came into their apartment, "You got off at five, and it's almost nine!"  
  
"Hey, lay off would you?" Leon grabbed Priss and pulled her up to him, "I had a tough day out there." He hugged her lovingly, and she reluctantly hugged him back. As she hugged him she could swear she caught a whiff of perfume, confirming her suspicions. She pulled away from him and returned to her spot on the couch, where she had been before she heard his keys in the door. She changed the channel and let the TV hypnotized out any negative thought she might have.  
  
Leon hovered for a moment, then went into the kitchen to poor himself a drink. He came back out to see Priss staring blankly at the Television still, as she did to much recently. She had returned to him, and they fell further in love. They'd been living together ever since she had come back to him, and times like now drove him nuts. He assumed she had been sitting home all day waiting for him to come home and every minute that passed where he wasn't here she became suspicious, and angry. He deserved nether of these emotions, but he knew that's what he was up against. He sat down next to her.  
  
"Did you find something to do today?" Leon asked casually trying to snap her out of her bad mood. He was usually quite good at doing so too.  
  
"Sure. I went and practiced with the guys." She sighed, "I totally sucked. The lyrics aren't any good at all."  
  
"Ah, I'm sure it wasn't that bad" He smiled, "After all anything you sing would have to sound good."  
  
"Mmmm. Right" She passed off his complement.  
  
"Still want to know where I was?" He took a gulp of his drink.  
  
"Not particularly" She said this, like everything else, without even looking at him.  
  
"Hmm... " He pondered this response, She was more off the hook today than usual. "You think I'm cheating on you, I can tell."Now Priss looked at him, then glared, "What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"Look, I know I have to smell like that pretty little girl I carried over to the ambulance. There was a big incident tonight, I was on my way home then I got a call. A crazy bastard took this teenage girl hostage; he was threatening to kill her if he didn't get something or other. He kept us back for over an hour, and then I decided to take him out. I shot him, but he shot the girl before he went down. She's in critical condition now." He gave her a loving smirk, "Priss, I love you."  
  
Priss' expression softened, "Well, I know you're not clever enough to make something like that up..."  
  
"Hey! I could to!" He defended.  
  
Priss turned off the TV and hugged him. He kissed her, and she returned it, then looked away, obviously bothered by something.  
  
"What is it?" Leon questioned.  
  
"I've been really bored, or lonely, or you know... whatever. " She tried to express this horrible feeling eating her alive to someone, someone she could trust. She hoped saying it would make her feel better.  
  
"I'm sorry I have to work so much, the job of a cop is full time, you know. I don't know how I'd live without it though. What about your band?"  
  
"I miss fighting Leon. I miss Linna, and Nene. Sylia too sometimes. It seems so strange to not have that there. Them there. We were all connected because of those damn hard suits. And... now... "  
  
"Why don't you try and find Nene or something?" He said, "I'm sure that wouldn't be too hard."  
  
"I have Linna's number somewhere, I just have to find it."  
  
"But uh, remember, Linna didn't want to get involved with us. And there is still us, Priss." Leon nervously jumped to fend Linna off. He knew Linna had some infatuation with Priss, and couldn't forget how Nene made their relationship sound. The love of his life was not going to leave him for some girl.  
  
"I still don't get why she'd say that Leon. It's not like she was a jealous type... competitive maybe." She paused, making Leon all the more uncomfortable with his fib, "But that's what makes it so strange, if she actually had a crush on me it would be more like her to compete with you rather than just walk away..."  
  
"Maybe you don't know her as well as you think you do. She never called back after we got serious."  
  
"She called once, but that was when we were just moving in."  
  
"That's what I mean." Leon let his nervousness show through in his voice. This was exactly why he could never actually cheat on Priss. He had never been a very good liar.  
  
"Leon... you didn't not give me a message...?"  
  
"I might have forgotten to mention it."  
  
"Mention what?!"  
  
"Linna called one time after that, but that's it!"  
  
"LEON!" Priss jumped up and almost tripped over the coffee table, infuriated she slapped him, "What did she say?"  
  
"God damn it Priss!" Leon stood up to face her, "She didn't say more than 'Hi is Priss there?', Okay? And you weren't!"  
  
"ARRRGH!" Priss stormed over to the door, grabbing her leather jacket.  
  
"Where you going?!" Leon questioned."OUT." She slammed the door behind her.  
  
"Argh" Leon growled before he topped off his drink. "It's not like she couldn't of called back..."  
  
"I can't believe this. It's been nearly a month..." Sylia looked over her search results, "And still, nothing."The computer beeped as she turned it off and spun around. "Nothing."  
  
"Mistress Sylia, I'm sure you'll find him." Henderson bowed before he offered her the tray he was carrying. On the tray was her normal Vodka and aspirin serving. She took it from Henderson.  
  
They were staying in her cottage in Europe. It had been her, Nigel, Maki and Henderson, but weeks ago Nigel disappeared while he was out. He never returned, and never called. Sylia was determined to find him, if for nothing but to tell him how much of a jerk he was for leaving. So far, her search had brought her nothing. As the days passed she became more and more worried. She slammed her fist down on the desk and them let out a sob.  
  
Maki watched her from the hallway. He wished there was something more he could do. Nigel meant a lot to him too, and Sylia was falling apart. Nigel had helped save him, along with Galatea. When Galatea decided to be no more she freed Maki to return to his body in full. Nigel helped repair the injuries his body had suffered. Now Maki was almost as complete as he had been before the Galatea incident. Nene was never found, and a part of him felt lost forever without her. Now Nigel had disappeared into thin air, and Sylia was as distant as ever. Things were not going well at all.  
  
"Sylia..." Maki cooed as he approached her. Her first reaction was to stop crying, and freeze in place hunched over the desk. Maki laid a hand on her shoulder, "We are going to find him. I wont give up."  
  
"Of course not Maki, " Sylia said very calm and quietly, "He never gave up on us."  
  
Maki watched solemnly as Sylia rose and looking like royalty she glided out of the room. He looked at the blank computer screen, knowing that it had to be the key to finding Nigel.  
  
Nene stretched out her arms at her little workstation. She yawned, as the day had been very long, and very boring. She was working in America, as a Special Agent in an extremely undercover group that was buried deeply in the NSA. She wore a black uniform with a black beret. Patches and pins showed how amazing she had become through this agency. She was one of America's best in hacking, and programming, and she wasn't even American.  
  
The American Navy had stumbled across her and Linna on that deserted Island, and Nene had found great interest in Naval intelligence. She found a friend in the Captain on board, as she was able to speak English fluently due to the AP Police requirements. Once in America she went through several high-ranking officials before one actually requested her on his team. That's where she was now, to almost all of the rest of the world, dead.  
  
It was time for her to clock out, so she clicked on her e-mail for one last glance for work waiting to keep her here. She sure enough had a message, though it wasn't for her. She read it anyway, it was an open to all message. It spoke of a new test soon to be run related to the Japanese...boomer... technology. Americans had never really been interested in boomer technology, why would they want it now? Nene instantly went into hacking the main database for any information relevant. Sure enough, Americans had deals with Genom so long ago to gain boomers for military use only. After the Galatea incident, and the fear of boomers in the American people they scraped the whole thing. Now, they believed they could perfect the technology and use it without the American public's knowledge.  
  
"Oh no..." Nene whispered to herself, "I have to tell the others..."  
  
She began a search for the members of the organizations that had fallen apart so long ago, the Knight Sabers. Priss was easy enough; she had an apartment in Tokyo with Leon-poo. She had contacted Linna several months ago, just to see if she was doing okay, so she had Linna's information. Sylia would be the only difficulty...   
  
To be continued.... 


	2. Chapter 2

Reunion: Chapter 2  
  
Nene stepped off the Bases' transport. She stood there and watched it disappear around the next block. She sighed heavily, and turned to face her apartment complex. She had a studio apartment even though her budget would have allowed a much better place. She figured she didn't need very much space, and it was easy to heat and cool a small one. She unlocked the door, and let herself in. The place was trashed, with coke cans, computer parts, and chip crumbs all over the floor. Right in the middle of it all, there was a mattress covered with tangled up sheets. Around the mattress nine computers of different sorts sat waiting for Nene's commands. She threw her laptop bag on the floor and flopped down on her bed.   
  
The phone line wasn't secure, she'd have to route through all of the barriers in place. The information she wanted to get out was certainly not suppose to get out. Luckily this was too difficult of a task for a systems specialist like herself, hell she had designed half of the security barriers. She began working at it right away, so she could contact the others as soon as possible.  
  
  
  
SPOW 2040Charlie Ortega   
  
Jeffery Gilkes   
  
Steve Wingo  
  
Michelle Kerr  
  
Tony Degroot  
  
Xenophon Jackson  
  
Rodney Peyton  
  
Russell Butz  
  
Ray Massimo  
  
DeceasedGordon Detsoi  
  
Nene Romanova  
  
Avella Moya  
  
SPOW 2041Kenneth Sitar  
  
Neil Domonkos  
  
Khieng Kho  
  
Johnathan Anstet  
  
Randy Phillips  
  
Jack Hanon  
  
Derek Street  
  
Natalia Friesl  
  
Standley Byars  
  
Kevin Lauer   
  
DeceasedKimberly Waldron  
  
Micheal Itamura  
  
SPOW 2042Nigel Kirkland  
  
Ernest Jaffa  
  
Maki scrolled down this horrifying list, and as he read his eyes widened and his chest shrank. As soon as he had seen the information he was flushed out of the government files. He had hacked into the U.S. Military main frame on suspicion that Nigel may have been 'kid napped' due to his knowledge. He never thought he would run across Nene's name. He pulled out the plug on the system, hoping that would stop them from tracing his IP address. It probably wouldn't, but it didn't really matter, seeing as how Sylia had been acting lately.  
  
"No... " Maki said out loud. He felt unable to breath, and could hardly make himself get up from the chair he was in. He somehow managed to stammer into Sylia's bedroom, and he flick the light switch on.  
  
Sylia had been trying to fall asleep, and the sudden flash of light made her eyes burn. She sat up in bed and tried to focus on Maki. As his image became clear, she could tell right away the something was wrong.  
  
"Maki! What is it? What's wrong?" She pleaded for an answer.  
  
"Nene... " He whispered.  
  
"What? Did you say Nene? What happened?!"  
  
"Nene is dead, and Nigel is a Secret Prisoner of the US government!" Maki suddenly blurted it all out, "I hacked in, I found a record of them both!"   
  
"Prisoner? Maki, are you sure?" Sylia swung her legs over the side of the bed., ready to get up.  
  
"Yes, Sylia. It's true..." Maki started to feel depressed again. It hurt so much to think Nene was dead, he had tried so hard to help her through the Galatea incident. It just wasn't fair!  
  
Sylia began to put on day clothes, as Maki stood in the door deeply lost in thought. After she was ready to go she turned to him again.  
  
"Where was he being kept Maki?" She asked evenly.  
  
"I....I don't know" He replied.  
  
"There had to be something Maki, just think, try to remember..." She walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It was a N S A L A file, in a list of files that all had different letters next to them, that's all that was there. I'm sorry, does that help?"  
  
"Yes, Maki, that's good." Sylia smiled. She had a chance at finding Nigel. She patted him on the shoulder for reassurance, then made her way past him. She flipped on the light switch in the kitchen and picked up the phone.   
  
Linda clicked aimlessly on the monkey. Sure enough, it said she won. She would just have to fill out this spammer form, and then she'd get a gift certificate to buy something or other. She clicked on the X in the upper right corner of the window to get rid of it. She sighed. The internet had lost so much of it's appeal ever since she had become a Knight Saber. She had nothing to follow on the internet anymore. All she had left to do was check her e-mail, over and over again.  
  
*ba-bing* An instant message popped up right before she had disconnected for the night.   
  
AgentRomanova: Hi! It's a Nene gram!  
  
AgentRomanova: Though.... not as spify as it used to be huh?  
  
GreenKSLinna: Nene! Hey! How are you?  
  
AgentRomanova: Not so good, I have really bad news : (  
  
GreenKSLinna: Oh?  
  
AgentRomanova: u know, those things we used to fight?  
  
GreenKSLinna: Boomers?  
  
AgentRomanova: SHHHH!  
  
GreenKSLinna: What?  
  
AgentRomanova: I...  
  
AgentRomanova: I ran accross a file today, top secret, u know...  
  
AgentRomanova: It said they were going to recreate the technology Linna!  
  
GreenKSLinna: Your joking, right?  
  
AgentRomanova: No  
  
GreenKSLinna: After what happened? Why?  
  
AgentRomanova: I can't say much more, I think it would be best if u could  
  
meet me here in Los Angelas. Can u?  
  
GreenKSLinna: I don't know Nene, what could I do?  
  
AgentRomanova: We have to do something!  
  
  
  
Linna stared blankly at the screen for a moment. She so wished for that lifestyle back, but would hate to see the horrors of boomers hurting people again. It was what they had worked so hard to stop, could she just let it all start again? No. She couldn't. She wouldn't let it start again.  
  
  
  
AgentRomanova: u there?  
  
GreenKSLinna: Yes, I'm here.  
  
AgentRomanova: So....?  
  
GreenKSLinna: Okay, I'm in. I'll book a flight tonight.  
  
AgentRomanova: LAX  
  
GreenKSLinna: I know  
  
AgentRomanova: ok I'm gonna call Priss now.   
  
AgentRomanova: c u soon, bye-bye  
  
GreenKSLinna: Wait, Priss?  
  
AgentRomanova has signed off  
  
"Wait..." Linna said it out loud after she knew there would be no answer. She spun the chair to face away from the computer, "Priss..."  
  
If Priss was coming, which Linna was rather sure she wouldn't, then they'd have to talk. She would see first hand that Priss didn't give a damn about her. This scared her right down to the bone. Again she questioned if she could go through with all this...  
  
"Hello" Leon answered the ringing phone in his tired drunken state.   
  
"Leon?" Nene asked, unsure if she had dialed the right numbers.  
  
"Yeah Leon here, who's thish?"  
  
"Leon-poo?"  
  
"Hey! Don't call me that!" Leon sat up straight, suddenly feeling a whole lot more sober.   
  
"Why not poo-head?" Nene grinned into the phone.  
  
"Have you not grown up at all!?" Leon exclaimed into the phone.  
  
"Of course I have silly! Where's Priss?"  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry Nene, she's not in..." Leon found himself unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. He did feel guilty for Priss not being there. And Nene had called, ironically what their fight had been about.  
  
"Where is she?!" Nene pleaded desperately.  
  
"I don't know, but she's not here." Leon stated, "Did you want to leave a message, or a call back number?"  
  
"No. I need to talk to her now.... is there a number I could reach her at?"   
  
"We're a little tight on cash right now, this is our only phone... She can call you back as soon as she get in, ya know?"  
  
"No. No that won't work. Just, just let her know that I called I guess." Nene said sadly.  
  
"Alright, I'll let her know..." Leon replied.  
  
*click*  
  
Leon hung up the phone. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so bad. Nene had sounded like she really needed to talk to Priss, and Priss so needed to talk to Nene. If only he hadn't pissed her off, everything would be going smoothly. He sank down into the couch and groaned, only to hear the door open. Now she was back, if only he had kept Nene on the line thirty seconds longer. He groaned again.  
  
"Drink too much?" Priss asked and she turned on the light, blinding him temporarily. He groaned yet again. She scoffed at him, then turned the light back off.  
  
"Nene called." He said matter-of-factly.  
  
"What?  
  
"She sounded pretty desperate to talk to you, but wouldn't leave a call back number..."  
  
"What did she want?" Priss said calmly, even though her head was rushing ahead of herself. After all, why would Nene call unless there was something happening?   
  
"She wouldn't say."  
  
"Then star sixty-nine her damn it!" Priss blurted out, suddenly loosing her cool again. She grabbed the phone and dialed in the numbers. "Damn." She cursed, and threw the phone to the ground.  
  
"I didn't think that would work, she didn't seem to think you could call her back..." He noted out loud, watching Priss pace. She wasn't acknowledging him at all, then she suddenly tossed all of the papers on the coffee table onto the floor. Everything 'important' had been stored there for over a year, it was a huge pile of miscelanous junk really. "What are you doing now?"  
  
"Just shut up Leon" Priss growled as she fumbled through every piece of paper on the floor. She found the one she was looking for, it was a ripped piece only slightly smaller than her hand. She picked it up and stared at it for a moment. It was a phone number, a phone number she had never used. Calling Linna seemed kinda weird to her back when she found it, and now. Now it just seemed cold, since it was because Nene had called. She flipped it between her fingers for a few rotations then crumpled it up.  
  
  
  
Linna held the phone against her ear with her shoulder while she listened to the ending regulations of the flight plan she has chosen. Her hands both busy shoving her favorite outfits into a small suitcase, she hung up the phone finally and considered what else she might need. She picked up that photo of Priss one more time, knowing she wouldn't dare bring it with her. If Priss was there, and found it for some reason she might get the wrong idea completely. She put it back in the drawer she always kept it in. There wasn't much left for her to do, so she zipped up her suitcase. The phone rang, she ignored it. It rang again, and since her mother hadn't picked it up she grabbed it.  
  
"Hello?" She said.  
  
"Is Linna in?" Priss asked, unsure if she was talking to Linna or not.  
  
"Priss?" Linna recognized her voice right away.  
  
"Yeah, hey, have you heard from Nene?"  
  
"It's horrible, isn't it? Are you going?" Linna assumed Priss had already talked to Nene.  
  
"What's going on?" Priss was now even more concerned, "I missed Nene's call, but I had a gut feeling it was important."  
  
"It's the Americans Priss. They're re-creating Boomer technology...." Linna repeated what she had heard from Nene.  
  
"What? Those Idiots! Do they have a death wish!?" Priss snarled into the phone.  
  
"I don't know..." Linna sighed, "I'm on the next flight to L.A., I have to try to stop it before it's too late."  
  
"Damn right, before they create another Galatea. I'll meet you there, as soon as I can." Priss replied.  
  
"Um, okay. I'll see you then...."  
  
To be Continued..... 


	3. Chapter 3

Reunion  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Priss threw her small bag of luggage over her shoulder, as she walked out of the gate that she had arrived at. The airport was crowded, much like the Tokyo airport had been. She began to wonder how she was ever going to find Linna in such a large crowded place. The first thing to do would be to find out which gate she would be at, as impossible as even that could be. She saw one of the screens announcing incoming flights. She was in luck, there was a second flight coming in from Tokyo that had been delayed. Chances were, Linna was on that flight. She noted the gate and headed back out into the herds.  
  
"I want those bags taken to a rental car. Let them know, I will be there to pick up the car in a few minutes."  
  
"But lady, I'm just a baggage handler..." He whimpered.  
  
"Here, now does that change you mind? I thought so." A voice that sounded very familiar to Priss said. She spun around and looked over every person in the crowd around her. She saw the baggage handler with a dolly, heading away. Sylia was no were in sight though. Then she caught a glimpse of that silvery blue hair through a couple of people. She pushed her way through, and sure enough, Sylia was making her way towards the airports exit.  
  
"Sylia!" Priss yelled out in the crowd. Sylia must have heard it because she stopped abruptly, but just as soon as Priss was sure she had heard it, Sylia continued on her way. "Damn it..." Priss cursed. She fought her way back out of the crowd, and began running through the airport towards Sylia.   
  
Sylia was startled by someone grabbing her shoulder. She was prepared to punch the culprit in the face when she saw Priss. It was Priss, panting, and glaring at Sylia. "Priss?", She asked.  
  
"Yeah, no shit." Priss stated, still catching her breath from her little sprint. It was moment like that, which reminded her just how out of shape she had become.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sylia demanded.  
  
"Nene called, that's why your here, right?" Priss answered.  
  
"Nene? Nene is dead, Priss."  
  
"What!?" Priss exclaimed, "Since when?"   
  
"Maki found.... a record of her... and of Nigel." Sylia explained, reminded herself how urgent it was that she keep going, "That's why I'm here."  
  
"Nigel? Wait. Sylia, what the hell is going on?" Priss was now the one demanding answers.   
  
"I don't know yet, I'm here to find out. Nigel disappeared weeks ago, and Maki found him on a prisoner list of the NSA, right here in LA."  
  
"And Nene was in those same files?" Priss asked.  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Something feels wrong about all this. Doesn't it seem strange to you?"  
  
"You're right, there is something; this seems like too much of a coincidence."  
  
"Linna was the one that actually talked to Nene." Priss sighed, "Nene might have said something more to her. I don't know."  
  
"Linna's coming as well?" Sylia questioned, "And Nene called you two?"  
  
"Something like that." Priss looked around suspiciously, "The flight I think she was on, was delayed, let's go wait for her."   
  
Sylia glanced at the exit. She had to meet with a contact of hers in a little over an hour. It would have to wait, this new found coincidence could pull out some information she needed to find Nigel. She nodded at Priss, and followed as Priss led the way.  
  
The plane Linna was one, finally came in for a landing. It had been a rough trip, due to technical problems Linna's plane was grounded mid trip. She should have been at destination hours ago, but now would have to do. On the flight over she had questioned herself on all of this. The big question she had now, was, how was she going to find Nene? If Nene wasn't waiting for her when she got off this plane.... what was she going to do?  
  
Now all the other passengers were getting up and pulling their luggage from the over head compartment. She stood up her self, and the man who had been sitting next handed her luggage to her. She thanked him, and then waited behind him for the line to begin moving. It wasn't long, and she was stepping out into the airport. She started scanning the crowd for Nene, desperately hoping to see her waving cheerfully. She didn't see Nene, but Priss was there. Priss was leaning against a post staring right at her, and Sylia was standing next to her. Sylia was looking at Priss, talking. Linna hurried over to them.   
  
"Guess I'm late again...." She laughed uneasily.  
  
"At least we waited for you this time." Priss responded sarcastically.  
  
"Linna, What did Nene tell you?" Sylia interrogated right away, no hello, no I missed you. It was always business with Sylia, Linna thought.  
  
"She didn't say much." Linna said, "She seemed in a hurry, I think she needed to get a hold of you two."  
  
"How did she sound?"  
  
"Sound? She IMed me, like she usually does..."  
  
"So it's possible it wasn't Nene?"   
  
"I guess so, why? Linna glanced back over at Priss, who just looked bored by this all.  
  
"I believe that Nene is dead." Sylia said, "I don't know who IMed you, but I don't think it was her. This is some kind of trick."  
  
"Dead? Why would Nene be dead? What trick?" Linna was now sure this was all a bad idea. This didn't sound good.  
  
"Just fess up Linna." Priss said suddenly.  
  
"Fess up? To what?" Linna was now even more confused, Priss' eyes were cold.  
  
"You just wanted to see me right? Did you have to make up such a story?" The accusations began to fly.  
  
"I..." Linna was speechless, stricken by Priss' cruel words. This was a nightmare, and Nene was no where to be found.  
  
"I doubt it's that simple Priss." Sylia scolded, that doesn't give any reason behind why there was a record with both Nene and Maki's names on it."  
  
"Oh really, Sylia? How about this one. Maybe you IMed Linna, pretending to be Nene. Maybe you were desperate for help finding Nigel, and you just had to make up another lie." "That's absurd!" Sylia defended.  
  
"Nene is alive. She has to be, and when we find her...." Linna interrupted.  
  
"How are we going to do that Linna?" Priss asked, still in her maniacal tone.  
  
"I... don't know." Linna looked down, this was all going horribly.  
  
"That's what I thought. I can't believe I flew out here for this."  
  
"Nene is here." Linna's head snapped back up, her eyes fixed on Priss, "We will find her. We have to. Fly back if you want to, but I'm going to find her."  
  
"I hope your right Linna. If Nene is alive, and this Boomer threat is real, I bet it has everything to do with Nigel, and this all will fall into place right." Sylia joined Linna.  
  
"Well, I'm not exactly ready for another 10 hour flight." Priss sighed, "And we're certainly not getting anything done here, let's find a place to stay."  
  
"That's probably a good idea. Why don't you two get checked into a hotel, I'll join you two in a while." Sylia agreed.  
  
"I already have a hotel, here" Linna showed Sylia the travel packet she had, the hotel wasn't far from the airport.  
  
"Okay, that's it then." Sylia nodded, and then walked away.  
  
Linna turned to Priss, Priss still looked rather upset. Linna couldn't find the words, that accusation still stung. So she just walked away. Glancing behind her, Priss had disappeared into the crowd. Part of her hoped Priss was just going to go home, but another part of her hoped Priss would be at the hotel when she got there. Why would Priss say that?   
  
When Linna did get to the Hotel, Priss was standing there waiting for her. She looked a lot less up tight now though, Linna guess she had just walked. Linna had caught a Taxi, and been stuck in traffic for 20 minutes. She was still angry with Priss though, and walked right past her and up to the check in counter.   
  
"I have a reservation, it's under Linna Yamikazi" She said, now assuming Priss was waiting there because she wanted to bum a room out of Linna. This just infuriated her all the more. The woman handed her the room key card. Linna spun around, only to see Priss was gone again. She took the elevator up to her floor. Finding her room wasn't hard; Priss had found it before her and was waiting in from of the door.   
  
"I'm sorry," Priss sighed, and Linna glared at her. She had been listening to Sylia's rants for far too long when Linna had arrived. It was just an idea that was stirring in her head, and found it's way out of her mouth. She hadn't actually meant to offend Linna like she did.   
  
"Oh? Sorry because you feel bad, or sorry because you don't have the money for your own room?" Linna now accused.   
  
"Look, I didn't mean anything by what I said. It's just Leon.... no." Priss sighed, her thoughts were jumbled, "I don't have the money for a room, no. I spent everything I had on getting a goddamn ticket out here...."  
  
"So that's it then?" Linna scoffed, "I don't even know why I missed you."  
  
"Fine." Priss snarled, she hadn't expected Linna's attitude. She stormed off down the hall. Linna watched her go, and almost immediately regretted it.   
  
"Priss!" She yelled after her, "Priss, wait!"  
  
Priss stopped. She waited, where else was she going to go? Her plan had just been to wait until Sylia showed up down in the Lobby. Linna jogged up next to her.  
  
"You can stay with me, I mean, I'd like to catch up on everything anyway...." Linna tired to be as inviting as she could; Priss looked at her and smiled. That was the Linna she remembered.   
  
The room wasn't particularly large, just a bed a bureau a small refrigerator and a closet in the main part. Then there was a small bathroom. Linna had decided to take a shower right away, and Priss stood looking out the window. The streets were busy, filled with all different kinds of people. It was a busy city. Priss could definitely grow to like it here. She wished she had the money to rent a nice bike.   
  
Linna came out of the bathroom wrapped up in a couple towels, one for her body and one for her head. She stood next to Priss to view the small city scene Priss had been watching.  
  
"It's fascinating.... isn't it?" Priss said.  
  
"What? The view?"  
  
"No matter where you go, it's all the same." Priss sighed.  
  
"What do you mean?" Linna asked.   
  
Priss just shook her head, "So, how's life been with your Parents?"  
  
"It's been alright. I guess." Linna said. I missed you so very much....  
  
"Just alright, huh? Guess the country'll do that to you."  
  
"How' about you.... "Linna trailed off, again remembering that last time she talked to Leon.  
  
"Ha. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Leon can be such an ass sometimes...." Priss laughed.  
  
"I can see that...." Linna said under her breath.  
  
"He didn't tell me about the last time you called until yesterday..." Priss said, "I would have called back."  
  
"What do you mean?" Linna asked again, "The last time I called.... he told me not to call back."  
  
Priss flinched at this statement, then grit her teeth, but not saying a word in defense.  
  
"It's true isn't it? You didn't want me to call back."  
  
"Oh no. He didn't want you to call back." Priss growled, "He was afraid you were going to try something. Insecure bastard."  
  
"Try something?"   
  
"Yeah."  
  
Linna was trying to be careful on her wording, as it was she didn't know whether this conversation was about what she thought is was about. "Try what?"  
  
"Ah, he's just afraid.... your sexuality scares him I think."  
  
"My Sexuality?" Linna was now blushing. It was what she thought they were talking about.   
  
Priss noticed how uncomfortable she was making Linna and decided to change the subject, "So, how are we going to find Nene?"  
  
"I...." Linna was still blushing, even though she was embarrassed as hell, she wanted to know something. She wanted to know about Priss. Was there a chance Priss liked girls too? Nene didn't seem to think so, but Sylia had always seemed like she knew something that Linna didn't about the subject..  
  
"Yeah, I'm pretty stumped too." Priss said, "I haven't heard from Nene since we were up in outer space...."  
  
"Priss?" Linna chirped.  
  
"What?" Priss responded naturally.  
  
"Even if Leon thought I was after you, why would he think you would go for it?" Linna asked, jumping back to the subject Priss had tried to move away from.  
  
"Insecurity?" Priss shrugged  
  
"You wouldn't go for it would you?" Linna pushed further, she wanted an answer.  
  
"I-" A knock on the door interrupted Priss. She looked to the door, it was most likely Sylia. Linna looked torn between hearing Priss out and answering the door. Priss decided to answer it for herself.  
  
To be continued.... 


	4. Chapter 4

Reunion  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Nene, she was a beautiful and intelligent young girl. I'm so glad I met her, I think of her everyday. And now I wonder, could I have done more? Nene. She made me feel human, she made me feel this feeling I still can't even explain. I think it might be what people call love. But if so, why is it I still feel like she is alive somehow? I just don't feel that loss. Is that wrong? Nene.... I miss you so much.  
  
Maki sat in front of the blue computer screen, reading over the text he had just written. He felt like he was crying, but no tears were forming in his eyes. He deleted all the words he had just written. With out Nigel, or Sylia around he was feeling rather useless, and dwelling upon his loss. He hadn't given up hope on Nene, but now it was so hard to keep a hold of that hope. Everything just seemed so unreal.  
  
He wondered if Sylia had found anything in LA. He clicked on her inbox, cluttered with thousands of unanswered messages from hundreds of different people in her life. He wasn't going to snoop; he just thought she might have sent him a message. Something good, something saying Nigel is fine. The most recent Message was from yesterday, titled "URGENT, Sylia I need your help!"  
  
Maki was torn between reading the Urgent message that belonged to Sylia, and leaving it for her. He clicked on the blue link. It took him into a short message,  
  
Sylia,  
I know I kinda lost contact. I'm sorry, I had to. I'm working for the US Government. The urgent reason of this message is a file I ran across. They're going to re-create Boomer Technology Sylia, and they have the power to do it. I couldn't just sit back and let them create another Galatea, please come to LA. Come help me!  
  
Nene  
  
"She's alive?" Maki said out loud, "Nene...."  
  
"Oh, hey" Priss said answering the door. It was Sylia standing there, looking like royalty as usual. Priss left the door open for Sylia to come in but went back to the window next to Linna. Sylia poked her head in the door, noting that Priss was back to being her cool calm self. Linna how ever was dressed in a towel, and looked ever so embarrassed.  
  
"I have a little more information." She said casually, "Perhaps I could share it with you two over lunch?"  
  
"Oh, sure" Linna agreed nervously, glancing back at Priss, "I just.... need to put some clothes on."  
  
Sylia nodded and stepped in the room completely. It was a motel room compared to the suite she had on the top floor. Linna grabbed her suitcase and went into the bathroom, not completely shutting the door so she was still part of any conversation the other two might have.  
  
"Is it good news?" Priss asked.  
  
"Not really." Sylia shrugged, "I'm afraid there's still a lot more we will have to uncover."  
  
After a long moment of silence Priss responded with, "I'm not even sure why I'm here."  
  
"I'm glad you're here..." Linna said stepping out of the bathroom in a set of her normal clothes, t-shirt, with a short-sleeved button up guy's shirt thrown casually over it, and a pair of jeans  
  
"Yes, me too. This just might take all of us." Sylia agreed.  
  
They made their way down into the dinning area of the hotel. Sylia ordered for them all right off. Then, it was down to business.  
  
"I've confirmed that Nigel is being held here in LA, and the Boomer Technology threat is real. I believe that is why they have Nigel."  
  
"That's horrible...." Linna sympathized, "What would they want with  
Nigel?"  
  
"He's one of maybe three scientists still alive that were working with my father." Sylia frowned, "He may be their only way to re-create a sotai."  
  
"He's going to talk." Priss stated evenly.  
  
"Nigel won't betray me. He won't. He knows what Galatea did, and there is nothing that could make him create another one!" Sylia said very emotionally. This caused a silence at the table.  
  
Linna was trying to focus on the task at hand, but still the topic she had found herself on with Priss haunted her thoughts. Did Leon's fears have a ground? Could Priss fall for her? Even if she could.... how could it work? Linna didn't know anything about lesbian relationships. Priss was the only girl she had ever felt so strongly towards. Priss was the only one she had ever felt so strongly for actually.  
  
The food came. Sylia went into very little detail about exactly where Nigel was being kept, in a military base here in LA. Priss ate her food quickly, as if she hadn't eaten in days, or perhaps weeks. Then again, it was probably just fast in comparison to how slow Linna was eating. She just wanted to ask her question again, 'Could you fall for me?'. Sylia was there though.  
  
"Linna?" Sylia said suddenly, and Linna prayed that Sylia wasn't going to ask her what her opinion was on something she had just said. Linna hadn't been listening.  
  
"Yes?" She said innocently.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Sylia raised an eyebrow, and then glanced down at Linna's barely touched plate.  
  
"Wrong?" Linna questioned, "What... what would be wrong?"  
  
"You mean, aside from all of this re-creating boomers shit, right?" Priss said snidely.  
  
"Linna." Sylia scolded, "I know Priss has a wonderful figure, but I think your attention would be better off on what I have to say here."  
  
"Um...." Linna blushed profusely. She had been staring at Priss, and she hadn't even realized it. How embarrassing.  
  
"Ah, leave her alone Sylia," Priss defended, "You haven't said anything we all didn't already suspect.  
  
"Oh?" Sylia scoffed, obviously offended, "I think I've come a long way compared to you two, and if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."  
  
"I'm sorry Sylia...." Linna apologized, feeling as if it was her fault Sylia was upset.  
  
Sylia stood up and nodded both Priss and Linna good night, paid the cashier and left the lobby. Linna sat there head down. Priss stood up, and elbowed Linna in the shoulder.  
  
"C'mon, I know it's the middle of the day.... but I'm beat." She said. Linna stood up on queue and walked over to the elevator with Priss. They stepped into the elevator alone. Linna was still looking down, and still slightly flush from Sylia's comment. Priss smirked; it was moments like this she had missed. Oh, and those core crushing intense moments.... but she didn't see any of those in the near future. The silence lingered on until the elevator hit their floor.  
  
"Priss," Linna asked, "About that question earlier...."  
  
Priss stepped out of the elevator, "What question?"  
  
"You know," Linna followed her. They began to walk down the short hall, "about Leon's insecurities...." Right after she'd said it she realized how stupid that sounded.  
  
"Err, " Priss wasn't sure what Linna was talking about, she remembered their conversation, but not where it had ended abruptly, "What about 'em?"  
  
Linna swipped the key card through the door, and pushed it open, trying to find the right words. They came to her, just as Priss remembered where the conversation had left off.  
  
"About us?" Priss asked, and then Linna's words were lost once again.  
  
"Yeah, about us...." She said quietly.  
  
"Oh, well-" Priss began, and then stopped seeing Nene sitting on their bed. She looked older, more mature. Priss wouldn't have recognized her had she just been walking by. Instead of an APD outfit, she wore an all black military outfit, topped with a black baree. "Nene?"  
  
Linna looked up suddenly and saw Nene there as well, now the thought of Priss left her mind for a moment, "Nene!"  
  
"Hey guys!" Nene grinned, and hopped off the bed, "It's soooo good you came!"  
"Wow, you look good." Linna said, "They make you do physical training or something?"  
  
Nene scowled for a second, "No Miss Superhero...."  
  
"Wouldn't happen to be the NSA you work for, eh Nene?" Priss was still looking her up and down, sizing up how much she had actually changed over the last year.  
  
"Actually I am working for a branch that is funded by the NSA, why?" Nene asked, "I mean, how did you know?"  
  
"Did I know?" Priss asked in return, emotionless.  
  
"That's great! You might be able to get Sylia information about Nigel!" Linna said, "Or maybe help her get him out...."  
  
"Nigel?" Nene asked, "What are you talking about Linna?"  
  
"Sylia came to LA too, she's searching for Nigel, she seems to think he's been taken prisoner by the NSA...."  
  
"That would make sense..." Nene said under her breath.  
  
"Can you help?" Linna asked.  
  
"I might be able to, I'll have to find out." She said, "I can't be here too long anyway. I'm not even supposed to be out, I'm supposively dead."  
  
"We heard..." Priss said.  
  
"Really?" Nene grinned at Priss, "You looked for my death records? I didn't know you cared...."  
  
"Sylia told us, apparently Maki found the record." Priss shrugged.  
  
Nene's expression suddenly fell at the mention of Maki. She looked around nervously, and then tried to look happy again.  
  
"Nene...." Linna whispered.  
  
"It's fine, I'm alive. And we're gonna save the world again."  
  
"Heh." Priss scoffed. Linna elbowed Priss at the scoff.  
  
"Well... I have to get back before they realize I'm gone. So this is how it's going to work okay?" Nene explained, "I'm going back to the base, I'll research this Nigel thing. I need you guys to be reachable if I need to contact you." Nene handed them both a small black phone.  
  
"Can we contact you?" Linna asked.  
  
"No" Nene answered very decisively, "You never know when I'll be standing next to one of my supervisors. Considering I shouldn't have any communication with the outside world.... that would be bad."  
  
"True...." Linna said.  
  
"Wait a minute here," Priss grabbed Nene's shoulder as she was turning to head out, "What did the paper say?"  
  
"Paper?"  
  
"The document, whatever. About the Boomers."  
  
"Ooooh, right." Nene smirked, "Sorry, I got ahead of myself. It was an approval from the NSA to go through with the project as a black op. There was an attachment detailing the research gathered from Tokyo, and other cities that had been involved in Boomer creation."  
  
"Do they have enough information?" Priss asked seriously.  
  
"It didn't look complete to me, but we're good at filling in gaps. I don't think they need all of the information to make it work. Fact, the Doppelganger must be made from a brain that has the same Genetic structure as the one it will gather information from. Stingray's dark records show that very clearly."  
  
"What do you mean?" Linna cocked her head slightly.  
  
"He had his wife...." Nene trailed off, "It's not important. What is important is that we are probably already in the process of making this Galatea 2.0. I have to get more information. I will call." Nene waved quickly then bolted for the door.  
  
"But... Nene!?" Linna called out after her, following her out into the hall. Nene just waved again as she ran down the hall. Linna sighed heavily and returned to the room.  
  
"That was creepy." Priss said matter-of-fact like.  
  
"What was?" Linna sighed again.  
  
"You didn't think so?" Priss smirked.  
  
"I guess it was a little..." Linna agreed meekly, "but Nene does work for some deep government agency creepy just comes with that kind of stuff."  
  
"Eh." Priss shrugged and took off her jacket.  
  
"Did you want the bed?" Linna asked, in an offering way.  
  
"You paid for the room, I'll sleep on the floor. It's fine."  
  
"We could share...." Linna offered again. Priss raised an eyebrow at her in response. Linna coughed, and then laughed blushing again. Priss didn't acknowledge the statement at all after that, she just continued to strip off her leatherwear. Then she dug through her suitcase for something more comfortable to sleep in.  
  
Linna sat down on the little bed, and pulled off her shoes. That was enough for her; she lay down and cuddled into her pillow for some comfort. Here she was in a room with Priss, and it was just awkward. Is this what she had dreamt of?  
  
Priss finished getting comfortable herself, then looked at the ratty LA apartment floor, and over to the space on the bed with Linna...  
  
To be continued... 


	5. Chapter 5 aka Sleep Dep Chapter

Reunion  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Nene had disappeared into a base, guarded by several heavily armed military men. She hadn't checked in with them, instead she waited until they were the perfect distance apart, and she snuck through. This lead Sylia to believe Nene was definitely putting herself at risk over this all. Sylia had been standing out on her balcony when Nene took off down the street. Nene was a direct lead to where Nigel was, Sylia was sure of it. Without hesitation she rushed out after Nene. Now, parked on the side of the road in view of the base, she needed to figure out what she was going to do next.  
  
It had been around 2 pm when Nene passed by those guards, and now it was pitch dark outside. Sylia knew she couldn't get into the base alone. She could do what Nene did, but if she were to get caught there was no doubt in her mind she'd disappear just as Nigel had. With the information about Boomers she had it could be all the more devastating to her cause. She just couldn't let that happen. So, what could she possibly do?  
  
Opening her eyes, the first thing Linna saw was Priss. She had to do a double take, because she fell asleep after watching Priss lay down on the floor, and seemingly fall asleep there. Now Priss was inches away from her, sound asleep. Linna smiled, and just appreciated the moment as long as she could. That moment lasted about ten minutes. Even in your sleep you can feel it when someone is staring at you.  
  
Priss' eyes flickered, and then she was staring right back into Linna's gaze. At first it was startling, but then Priss smirked. Linna had such a silly crush on her, she really was like an over adoring fan.  
  
"What?" Linna asked, in reference to Priss' smirk.  
  
"How long have you been staring at me?"  
  
Linna blushed, deeper this time than the last few, "I just woke up...."  
  
"Ah." Priss said, obviously not buying it.  
  
"Decide that sleeping up here was worth the chances of losing Leon?"  
  
"Hey...." Priss scolded, "It's not like that...."  
  
"It's not huh?" Linna teased.  
  
"Would ya look at that floor?" Priss sat up and gestured, "He couldn't blame me for taking you up on your offer."  
  
"He couldn't could he?"  
  
Priss laughed. It was so ironic, he probably actually would be quite furious.  
  
"Yeah, That's what I though Priss." Linna grinned, "If I called him up and told him 'guess what Leon!'"  
  
"Okay, okay." Priss was still laughing, "Point made, he would be a little upset."  
  
Linna sat up too. Priss was so cute laughing away at how mad Leon would be if he could only see this. Laughing about it. Linna couldn't help herself, it seemed like she was never going to know unless she gave it a try. She put her hands on Priss' shoulders and pulled her into a kiss. It wasn't a passionate kiss of any sort, just a normal kiss of affection right on the lips.  
  
Priss stopped laughing, stopped moving at all. She had her eyes wide open, Linna had hers closed. After Linna let go of her she still didn't move, or breath for that matter. 'What just happened? That didn't just happen, did it?' Then Linna smiled at her, maybe because she hadn't thrown a fit over the action, maybe because she thought Priss was okay with this. Was she? Priss just remained frozen in time, unsure of what she was suppose to do. Laugh? Scream? Cry? Nothing seemed right.  
  
The little black phone of Linna's started ringing right then. She was feeling a bit strange with Priss' blank expression so she was actually relieved to have a distraction.  
  
"Nene?" Linna answered the phone.  
  
"Yeah it's me." Nene said in a hushed tone, "Nigel is being held here. I also found out that the project is in progress. I think Nigel filled in the missing information for them. Things don't look good for us. I think we should meet again, how about the Starbucks on 4th and Alameda?"  
  
"Right, when?" Linna nodded, trying not to notice the fact that Priss still hadn't moved at all.  
  
"Asap." Nene said, and ended the call.  
  
"Right." Linna said again, even though Nene wasn't on the line anymore, "Nene needs to see us again."  
  
Priss nodded slowly.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Linna apologized, "I didn't-"  
  
"Eh." Priss grunted, seeming to kind of snap out of her daze. She slowly stood up and put her attention on getting back into her leather.  
  
Linna felt very strange in the moment, worried about Priss' reaction. She started scolding herself for having done it. Then she set her mind on the task at hand; saving the world had to be more important than a little kiss.  
  
Nene snuck out of the base again. At night it was so much easier than it was during the day. She could be out longer this time, since she wasn't suppose to be awake and doing her job until early morning anyway. She approached the Starbucks, which wasn't that far from the hotel Linna and Priss were at. Still though, neither of them were waiting outside of the dark building. Nene sunk into the shadows best she could to avoid unwanted attention. Just then, she noticed a black car had followed her. It was outside the base, and now, parked the same length away from her, there it was again. She tried to see in the tinted windows.  
  
The distraction of this mysterious black car had her off guard. That was all the time it took, a cloth covered her mouth, while several sets of hands covered in black gloves grabbed hold of her. She struggled with all she had, almost freeing herself from some of their grips, but the white cloth was drugged. She blacked out.  
  
Linna and Priss walked up on the scene of three black vans peeling out and disappearing around the corner, followed by a black car. Nene was nowhere to be found, but everything just seemed wrong.  
  
"Shit, do you think they caught her?" Priss cursed.  
  
"Oh no..." Linna whimpered.  
  
"Shit." Priss re-iterated, "What the hell do we do?"  
  
"She might still be on her way... maybe that was nothing..." Linna rationalized.  
  
"Wishful thinking..."  
  
Sylia called Linna and Priss' room immediately. There was no answer so she left a message, telling them exactly what she had seen and where Nene had been taken. She said she was going in. And now, she stepped out of her car. She had to get inside of that building.  
  
Luckily this place wasn't as well guarded as the base had been. This was a wrecked old building that looked like it was about to fall apart. The vans had parked around back, and the people with Nene had slipped in a broken window. There was a single dog circling the decrepit building. It was nothing Sylia couldn't handle by herself. She walked up confidently. To her surprise the Doberman Pincher showed her no notice at all, and she found her way in through the same broken window the kidnappers had gone through.  
  
Inside it was dark. She felt around her, and felt that the window clearly lead straight into a hallway. A descending staircase lay out in front of her. She carefully placed one foot after another down this strange hallway. In the pitch black she could hear rustling down lower, and her heartbeat throbbed in her own ears. She paused, feeling as though she was walking into a trap.  
  
Something brushed up against her leg. She pressed her body up against the wall, but whatever it was grabbed hold of her pant leg and started pulling her forward. She didn't want to struggle, not sure what had her leg in its grip.  
  
Suddenly a bright flash of light blinded her, and her eyes felt horrible in the adjustment from pitch black to bright white. Shadows of people surrounded her in the small space, and as they started to focus into view a pin prick to her neck lead her right back to darkness.  
  
"We should have followed them..." Linna fretted as Priss and her arrived back at their room. Nene had never shown, and Priss had her convinced Nene was bagged by her own people.  
  
"In what?" Priss scoffed.  
  
"I don't know... maybe we could have seen where they were heading...."  
  
"Doubt it." Priss sighed, "I think we would have just found ourselves in a much worse situation...like them seeing us."  
  
"We better tell Sylia what happened." Linna picked up the phone; the light was blinking on it, which meant there was a message. She hit the number combination to hear the message. The message answered more of their questions than she could have imagined.  
  
"What is it Linna?" Priss waved a hand in front of her.  
  
"Nene needs our help...." Linna announced, "Let's go!"  
  
To be continued.... 


	6. Chapter 6

Reunion  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Sylia awoke sick. Her stomach was churning, and she felt her gag reflex kicking in. She quickly looked around, there was a trash can near by. Her head over the trashcan, she lost everything that had been in her stomach. After that she felt slightly better, still dizzy and very confused. She leaned back against the wall.  
  
"Awake?" A feminine voice asked. Sylia followed the sound to the doorway, it was a slender girl outlined in the light of the hallway. She had glimmering dark purple hair that resembled Linna's in a much more angled and harsh fashion. It was like an evil version of Linna. Sylia couldn't find the energy to talk, whatever they had drugged her with had knocked her for a loop.  
  
"She looks awake to me..." A male voice answered, "Should I put her back down?"  
  
"No. She's Japanese, her ID is no relevance to the Government."  
  
"So?" He asked.  
  
"So, I need to find out what lead her here!" The girl snapped, "Get out of here. Leave me."  
  
Sylia watched the door close, and once again the room was dim. The girl knelt down in front of her, red eyes watching her every move. Sylia sneered at her.  
  
"Aw, now we wouldn't have hurt you had you not been trespassing."  
  
"You.... Took... Nene" Sylia finally spoke.  
  
"Agent Romanova?" The purple haired girl looked surprised, "You know her as Nene? Why?"  
  
"She's helping me...."  
  
"What could she possibly help you with? She's an agent of destruction..."  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about." Sylia fought to stand up. The girl stood as she stood, "Nene worked for me. She knows where my missing friend is. Why did you take her?"  
  
"Worked for you? Missing friends? I'd say you have quite a story to tell Miss Stingray." The girl chuckled, "My name is Imaj, maybe we could help each other"  
  
"There it is..." Priss whispered, "So now what?"  
  
"We go in..." Linna whispered back.  
  
"Remember Linna, we don't have our hard suits." Priss reminded, "Being a superhero now is going to be a lot more difficult..."  
  
"I know that Priss. What would you have us do?"  
  
Priss grinned, "Well, I'd say, Let's get in there and kick some ass."  
  
Linna grinned back, and as they started to move a couple of Hummers blocked the property off. They both stopped with this new development.  
  
"Shit..." Priss said, watching the commandos unload, "I think that may be a little more than we can handle."  
  
"Why are they here?"  
  
"To get Nene I would suspect..."  
  
"Romanova!" A tall red haired girl slapped the tied down agent. Nene's eyes popped open, and a dark glare fell on her face.  
  
"Ah, it's so good to see you..." The redhead teased.  
  
"Screw you!" Nene hissed.  
  
"I knew it was mutual, so down to business with it." She smiled.  
  
"I won't tell you anything. You fools are just going to loose this battle, why do you even try?"  
  
"Ah, yes, we'll loose. I'm sure we will, but we'll make a difference in the mean time." The girl swiveled around as she spoke, "I must ask you 'Nene', what are you up to? Boomers? Nigel Kirkland? This sounds like a charade."  
  
"Wha- how did you-?"  
  
"What? Did you underestimate us Agent Romanova?"  
  
"Nene!" Sylia yelled out as a couple of men dragged her into the room.  
  
"I see." Nene grinned, "You aren't actually as clever as you would like me to Believe."  
  
"We've caught you haven't we?"  
  
"That's what you think..." Nene snapped the roped off of bother of her wrists. All the Terrorists drew guns on her, Sylia was freed but guns remained on her as well.  
  
"That was foolish" The Redhead stated, "Kill her."  
  
Just then commandos flooded in through the doors and the ceiling above. A gunfight endured, and Nene found her escape with her co-workers. Sylia fell to the floor, and tried to crawl to the nearest exit as the firefight went on. Nene gave her a hand and a few commandos pulled her off the ground and outside to safety. They then shoved her into one of the Hummers, and took Nene to another one. As quickly as the hummers had invaded the property they were gone.  
  
Priss and Linna were utterly shocked by the whole incident. Their rescue plan was useless now; Nene and Sylia were both under heavy military guard. What was baffling about the incident was simply, why was the military there?  
  
From the shadows they watched a few of the terrorists stream out into the street. Some bleeding, some helping the wounded. One set caught Linna's eyes, a girl that looked somewhat like her had a girl in her arms, and the girl was bleeding rather severely. Why were they out in the street? Sirens sounded off a few blocks away. Probably an ambulance. The Terrorists were calling for help?  
  
Sure enough an ambulance pulled up and took about 3 of their injured away. The girl Linna was watching handed the EMT a wad of cash, and patted him on the back. The injured were gone; some lay dead in the street others limped back inside. It was like the Military raided a terrorist organization but didn't stay. It was messed up and extremely unusual.  
  
"Stand up slowly, and put your hands in the air" A male voice said from behind Priss and Linna. Priss cursed under her breath, but complied, along with Linna.  
  
Once inside, they sat in the torn up room that was washed in blood. Three guns were aimed at them, so they obeyed the simple commands the terrorists had given them. Now the girl Sylia had spoken to, the very same one Linna had watched outside walked up head down to speak to them.  
  
"More friends of Nene Romanova?" She asked quietly.  
  
Linna nodded, Priss shrugged.  
  
"Then we should treat you well." She waved for the guns to be put away, "Please, make yourself comfortable."  
  
"What?" Linna asked, "In here?!"  
  
"Anywhere in the headquarters... Just two rules, a'ight? Don't leave headquarters, and don't attack any of my grunts. If you have a problem, you may take it up with me. I can be quite reasonable."  
  
"Imaj!" A man called in through the door, "Stingray has a property in Europe. She lived there with a relative and Nigel Kirkland. That relative is arriving at the airport in 10 minutes."  
  
"Good news. Go meet our other guest would you?" She told a couple of the guards who had brought Linna and Priss in.  
  
"Mackie..." Linna whispered.  
  
"That sounds about right..." Priss sighed.  
  
...To be continued  
  
A/N I'm sorry my self-insertion is so obvious. I rarely do blatant self- insertion, but I actually do play a reasonable role in this story. I won't be in it much, I actually should be dead within the next few chapters I'm sure. I can guarantee I won't be a main character. Nene is actually my main character. ^_^ hehe. 


	7. Chapter 7

Reunion  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The prison was dark and dry. The walls were over five feet of solid concrete surrounding each individual cell, and the steel bars were impossible to bend. Hunched over in the corner of the furthest cell Nigel Kirkland listened to the sounds creeping down the long hallway. Just bangs, and mumbling from time to time, but the sounds he heard reminded him that he was still alive. Still clinging to life.  
  
He had endured weeks of torture; his shredded clothing soaked in dried blood, and his body so sore and bruised it hurt to move. He hadn't eaten in days, how many, he didn't know. It was constant living in almost complete darkness, and he wondered if he would ever see real light again. As he tried to shift his arm, he knew he wouldn't get the chance. He was too weak to move.  
  
The sounds, the murmuring above, they were becoming clear. Murmurs became actual speech, a down talking guard and a woman's voice. Sylia. Nigel's eyes shot open, straining to see her.  
  
"Where are you taking me?" Sylia's voice was stern, yet clearly scared.  
  
"Shut up whore, another word and you'll regret it," The guard threatened.  
  
"Where are you taking me!" She screamed in response, the sound of her struggling shuffling through the prison. Then she shrieked as the halls laid out in front of Nigel lit up with a pale blue light. Nigel could see Sylia, screaming, the guard with a taser gun burning her flesh.  
  
"No!" He managed to yell out. It hurt more than he could have ever imagined, but he managed to fall forward reaching out towards Sylia. The guard opened up Nigel's cell and threw Sylia in.  
  
"Reunited, but was it worth it?" The guard mocked, laughing as he walked away. Sylia lay on the cell floor weeping miserably. Nigel pushed himself back off the floor, gritting his teeth tighter with every centimeter of moment.  
  
"Sylia..." He whispered after sitting back up against the wall.  
  
"Nigel?"  
  
"I'm so sorry" Nigel apologized right away. Sylia crawled across the dark cell until her hands fell upon Nigel's cold skin. She hugged him, and cried on his shoulder.  
  
"I failed you." Sylia cried, "And now...."  
  
"Shhh," Nigel comforted, "It doesn't really matter, I'm not going to make it out of here, I never was going to."  
  
"Don't say that!" Sylia screeched, "We still have a chance. Linna, Priss, Nene... We have a chance."  
  
"Sylia, I never told you..." Nigel whispered, obviously in pain by talking, "I love you."  
  
"Don't do this, not now, damn it!" Sylia cried, clutching onto him as if she would die if she let go, "Don't be saying your good byes!"  
  
In the 'Terrorist' compound  
  
Linna and Priss were showed to a couple of separate rooms. Linna was hesitant to leave Priss, but Priss didn't seem to care one way or another. That just frustrated Linna, so she did. In her room, that was actually a lot more like a dormitory, she began wondering about that kiss again. Priss never acknowledged it, not in a good or bad way. She almost wished Priss had yelled at her for it, at least then she would know what Priss was thinking.  
  
The door opened and the man that had found them in hiding walked in. He looked a lot friendlier with out the gun aimed at her. Well, as friendly as a city punk can look at least.  
  
"Imaj would like to speak with you if you have the time." He said politely.  
  
"Um, sure I guess," Linna answered, "It's not like I have anything better to do in here."  
  
Back into the prison  
  
"Nigel?" Sylia whimpered. He hadn't uttered a word in the last few minutes that had seemed like an eternity.  
  
"Yeh" He responded ever so quietly.  
  
"Don't leave me..."  
  
"Syl-, uh," He tried with every ounce of energy he had to say this, "Evrythin, is messed up."  
  
"I know, I know...." Sylia cried again, "At least we're together right?"  
  
"No, lstin, you can't trust- "He coughed, the cough making his lungs feel like a million needles just pierced through them. Silence fell between them again as Sylia waited for him to finish. As he grew still, and hadn't finished, she began to panic again.  
  
"I can't trust who?" Sylia nudged him softly, with the utmost care.  
  
"No" He coughed again, "any"  
  
"Can't trust anyone? No one?" Sylia questioned. He didn't answer so she nudged him again softly. There was no response. She laid her head on his shoulder. His energy was low; she wouldn't make him speak any longer. The minutes grew long very quickly though, and she began to worry again.  
  
"Nigel?" She asked the same way she had before. He didn't respond. Her heart raced faster, her head was spinning. She ran her hand across his face, he didn't move at all. She was scared, worried. She nudged, and then shook him. He wasn't responding, she put her head to his chest, listening for any heartbeat. Any bum, bum, bum, bum, any that would let her know everything was fine. There was nothing.  
  
She screamed and slammed her fists down on his chest. Tears flooding out of her eyes, she kept beating on him. Screaming about and cursing everyone, everything.  
  
Again, in the Terrorist compound  
  
The friendly punk walked with Linna over to another room, which appeared to be the 'office' of this underground operation. Imaj was sitting in the large spinning leather chair behind the desk.  
  
"Can I watch?" The punk joked.  
  
"Get out of here." Imaj sneered at him. He waved a hand at her, like 'aw you're no fun', and left Linna alone with this scary purple haired girl.  
  
Linna looked for words in her head, and only found thoughts of Priss again. It always went back to Priss, how was she suppose to save Nene, Sylia, Nigel, and the world if she couldn't get her mind off of Priss? She shook her head.  
  
"Are you alright?" Imaj asked, with a surprising amount of concern in her voice.  
  
"Uh, yeah." Linna nodded, "You wanted to speak with me?"  
  
"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" Imaj laughed. This confused Linna, as this villainous terrorist was being so.... Friendly.  
  
"That's what that guy said anyway." Linna said in defense, just in case this was some kind of trick.  
  
"I asked him to go get you for me," Imaj clarified, "I didn't have all that much to really speak to you about..."  
  
"... then why?"  
  
"I'm not very good at talking with attractive girls, like yourself, Linna, right?" Imaj blushed. Linna gawked.  
  
"Um, yeah, Linna." Linna said, trying to understand this as fast as it was coming at her. Did the terrorist just hit on her? No, she couldn't have? Sylia said something like that when they first met too. Maybe the terrorist was trying to recruit her.  
  
"That's a good name." Imaj said, "Good name, pretty face, nice body, you have a boyfriend, right?"  
  
"No." Linna answered quickly. The idea of a boyfriend was just outrageous to her. Like her father always asking if she was getting married yet. The question itself made her rather angry.  
  
"Girlfriend then?" Imaj said, as if someone without a boyfriend must have a girlfriend. Linna blushed.  
  
"No." She said a lot quieter than she had said no last time. Imaj grinned. The door swung open behind Linna and the two guards that had been sent to retrieve Mackie stood in the door with him.  
  
"Linna?" Mackie said, overjoyed to see a familiar face. He hadn't fought the guards at all, so he was free to run over and give her a hug.  
  
"Mackie!" Linna returned the hug.  
  
"Humph." Imaj grunted, "I hate to break up your reunion... but I'm gonna need to speak with the kid alone." Imaj's tone returned to her leader bitch style that had freaked Linna out initially. Linna scuffled Makie's hair.  
  
"Okay, hey Makie when you get done in here come find me okay?"  
  
"Sure thing." He nodded.  
  
Linna was taken back out into the hall, and the Guards left Makie and Imaj alone to talk.  
  
"Your sister's life may depend on what you can tell me kid, so, please tell me everything you know in the whole and full truth." Imaj said.  
  
Priss' area  
  
Priss pulled out the small black phone Nene had given her. She had hidden it in her hand with a minor slide of hand trick while the guards searched her. They took Linna's, but Priss wasn't quite ready to let these bastards control her. Now she wondered who she could call.  
  
If she did call Leon he would be out here on the next plane, no doubt. Did she really want to ask him for help? She had just told him how much she missed fighting, and being with the others. Then things get a little sticky and she cries to him for help? That just seemed weak to do. She tossed the phone back and forth between her hands.  
  
If Leon came out here, and Linna was still being so desperately forward with her crush she may have to break up a fight. Ironically Linna could probably hold up pretty well against Leon in a fistfight. Priss laid back on her bed and smirked at the idea of the two of them beating the crap out of each other to impress her. People could be so stupid sometimes.  
  
"Priss?" Linna's voice came from the door, Priss looked over to it; Linna had opened it and peeked her head in.  
  
"Hey what's up?" Priss sat up, and gestured for her to come in.  
  
Linna closed the door and leaned against it, "I think that terrorist just hit on me..."  
  
"You didn't slap him did you?" Priss teased.  
  
"Her, it was their leader." Linna whispered obviously embarrassed.  
  
"Ah, in that case," Priss said sarcastically, "Why didn't you go for it?"  
  
"What!?" Linna exclaimed, "Why?"  
  
"I was joking."  
  
"Oh heh-heh...." Linna sweat-dropped. Priss waved the little black phone in the air, "You still have it?"  
  
"Yeah." Priss smiled, "Just a few digits and we could have someone here to get us out."  
  
"We can't call Nene." Linna reminded.  
  
"I was thinking Leon, actually."  
  
"Leon?" Linna squeaked. Priss wanted to laugh; there really would be a fight if she were to do that. She wouldn't be calling Leon any time soon.  
  
"Yeah, maybe. I don't know, we could just call the local authorities."  
  
"I think we should just wait, maybe these people could help us." Linna said.  
  
"Help us? Linna, we are their prisoners."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Prison Cell  
  
Sylia was hunched over Nigel, sobbing like a child who just lost their puppy. Nene kneed down next to the bars. Nigel was moving, and Nene wondered how long he had been in there like that.  
"Sylia" She whispered. She didn't react to her, so she said it a little louder, "Sylia"  
  
Sylia looked up. There was someone at the bars; in the darkness she couldn't tell much.  
  
"Sylia, it's me Nene."  
  
"He's dead." Sylia said coldly, "They killed him"  
  
"I'm sorry Sylia..." Nene said quietly, "I wish it hadn't turned out like this, but I still need you to be with me okay?"  
  
Sylia crawled over to the bars, getting a better look at Nene. She leaned on the bars and continued to weep. Nene slipped an arm through the bars and wrapped it around Sylia's shoulder.  
  
In the compound  
  
Priss and Linna were asked to meet with everyone in the main room, the one the firefight had happened in. They stood there waiting for whatever was going to happen. Mackie walked up and stood next to Linna. He looked distressed, but still calm as can be. Imaj walked into the center of the room and called for silence.  
  
"You may have wondered who we are exactly." Imaj announced, "We are The Revolution. ACTIVISTS, not terrorists, not bad guys. We're standing up for what people should be standing up for. Our government has become corrupt, don't, get me wrong not all facets of the government are messed up, just some. One being the Phantom Drake, which your friend Nene Romanova works for. The Phantom Drake has been a big part of projects including an evasion of personal privacy leading to disappearances, and the death of many foreign citizens, and even many within our own country. This sanction of The Revolution is here to stop them. This current project most alarming..."  
  
"What project?" One of the grunts asked freely.  
  
"Boomers, like those in Tokyo, made secretly. These machines will be taking over our lives, and the government can just send machines in to do the dirty work for them. We can't allow this to happen, I wish we could have held Romanova longer. It sounds like she's playing both sides, I'm curious to see what she would be like as one of us."  
  
"What will we do?" Another grunt asked.  
  
"Knight Sabers." Imaj grinned directly at Priss and Linna, "We've got the Knight Sabers, right?"  
  
"Wait, how did you know that?" Linna asked.  
  
"I told her." Makie said, "We have to save Nene and Sylia."  
  
"We aren't Knight Sabers." Priss said, "We don't have hard suits."  
  
"DJ" Imaj yelled, a young man with spiked red hair that evened out into a short Mohawk stepped up to the center of the room and Imaj fell back into the group.  
  
"Ahem." DJ cleared his throat and clicked a button on a small little remote he held in his hand. All the walls in the room lit up with graphics. Looking around Linna and Priss could see scatter bits and pieces of information on hard suits, "With the information I have been able to gather, plus everything our young friend Makie Stingray can provide we have the resources to create about three of these hard suits."  
  
The grunt clapped and wooted, very excited by this prospect. Linna looked at Priss, who was looking at her. They're eyes both glimmered with excitement. Hard suits. They were going to be Knight Sabers again.  
  
Prison Cell  
  
Sylia put her arms through the bars to hug Nene. He hand slipped up to Nene's neck and wrapped both hands around as tightly as possible. Tears streaming down her face she snarled.  
  
"Syl-ee-a!" Nene choked out, muffled. She hadn't expected the hostility from a friend in need.  
  
"You killed him Nene!" Sylia screamed, "You killed him!"  
  
Nene gripped onto Sylia's wrists trying to free herself, but Sylia had a death grip on her. Tears were welling up in her eyes, she couldn't breath, and all she could do was claw for air.  
  
.... To be continued  
  
A/N I think that may be my most obnoxious chapter ending so far, don't you think? Hopefully I get the chance to write the next chapter soon. If you've read my story, but haven't bothered to review... you should review. It makes me SO much more motivated to write faster. I'll write it anyway, but knowing people are waiting for the next part... yeah, you know. 


End file.
